Numbers 22:17

for I will honor you richly and do whatever you say. So please come and put a curse on this people for me!’”

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Balak’s messengers repeat the king’s offer to Balaam, pressing him to come and curse Israel after his initial refusal.

The words — The Hebrew כַבֵּד (kha.Bed) and אֲכַבֶּדְךָ (’a.kha.bed./Kha) denote "honor" or "rich payment," intensified by מְאֹד (me.'Od) meaning "exceedingly."

The thread — Balak echoes this reward promise in Numbers 22:37 and Numbers 24:11, where the narrative records that God denies the compensation.

Why it lands — The verse records a transactional offer aimed at overriding a divine command, placing prophetic obedience against material incentive.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

כִּֽי־ki-for כַבֵּ֤דkha.Bedsurely <honor>אֲכַבֶּדְךָ֙'a.kha.bed./KhaI will honor/ you מְאֹ֔דme.'Odexceedingly וְכֹ֛לve./Kholand/ all אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-that תֹּאמַ֥רto.Maryou will say אֵלַ֖י'e.La/ito/ me אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֑ה'e.'e.SehI will do וּלְכָה־u./le.kha/h-and/ come/ !נָּא֙na'please קָֽבָה־ka.va/h-curse/ !לִּ֔יL/ifor <the>/ meאֵ֖ת'et<obj.>הָעָ֥םha./'Amthe/ people הַזֶּֽה׃ha./Zeh<the>/ this

King James Version

For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.

Cross-references

Numbers 24:11 Therefore, flee at once to your home! I said I would reward you richly, but instead the LORD has denied your reward.”
Numbers 22:6 So please come now and put a curse on this people, because they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land; for I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed.”
Numbers 22:37 And he said to Balaam, “Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why did you not come to me? Am I really not able to reward you richly?”
Numbers 23:2 So Balak did as Balaam had instructed, and Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
Numbers 23:29 Then Balaam said, “Build for me seven altars here, and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.”
Deuteronomy 16:9 You are to count off seven weeks from the time you first put the sickle to the standing grain.
Esther 5:11 Haman recounted to them his glorious wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honored and promoted him over the other officials and servants.
Esther 7:9 Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said: “There is a gallows fifty cubits high at Haman’s house. He had it built for Mordecai, who gave the report that saved the king.” “Hang him on it!” declared the king.
Matthew 4:8 Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.
Matthew 14:7 so much that he promised with an oath to give to her whatever she asked.